One of my favorite shows of all time is the now deceased Community. I watched the last episode of the series two years after its cancellation in 2014 and I was so upset that I wrote the post-mortum article Bring Me the Head of Bob Greenblatt.
Bob Greenblatt was an NBC Executive that deserved to be ground up and made into Torgo's Executive Powder. And, after I wrote my article, I assumed that's what happened to him. But that's not the case, not the case at all....
Two days ago, the Fox Network cancelled the series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Yesterday, well, let me, let Bob Greenblatt explain to you what happened: “Ever since we sold this show to Fox I’ve regretted letting it get away.” So NBC picked up Brooklyn Nine-Nine for a shortened sixth season. A show that Universal produced got away, now NBC wants a second chance with it. The reason the pickup makes sense has to do with lots of business rigmarole. And it does make sense, don't get me wrong. Everything that Vulture.com says makes complete and utter sense as to why Brooklyn Nine-Nine should return to the Peacock Network, but what doesn't make sense is why Bob Greenblatt still has a job.
Community received an untimely and undeserved death sentence due to mismanagement at the executive level. Why does Bob Greenblatt still chaffe my ass, years later? Because Community alumni are all over the news this week.
Who has the Number 1 song in America this week? Childish Gambino. Not familiar with Childish Gambino? Maybe you'll recognize alter-ego Donald Glover's name. He just hosted Saturday Night Live last week and dropped the most controversial music video of the year.
100 Million Views.... THIS WEEK.
What did Dan Harmon do after Community was cancelled? He created a little cult cartoon called Rick and Morty. You may have heard of it.
Adult Swim renewed Rick and Morty for a 70 show order... THIS WEEK
Even though Joel McHale's Great Indoors show was cancelled last year, Netflix ordered a reboot of the Soup called The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale.
Netflix renewed The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale... THIS WEEK
Gillian Jacobs and Judd Apatow teamed up to bring a romantic comedy called Love to Netflix, which was cancelled after 3 seasons. Gillian Jacobs is awesome, she'll be back.
Alison Brie also ended up on Netflix. Her show GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) was renewed for a second season. Second Season of GLOW starts next month.
Jim Rash? I heard him doing voice over work on a new Mike Tyson Mystery episode while I typed. Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Ken Jeong are all still working...
That Community Movie, that ain't ever coming. And you know why? Because the guy above is in charge of NBC instead of working the counter at Burger King.
The Network that was the home of comedy for 25 years now is now carried by Sunday Night Football, The Voice, and Dramas. With a resume like that, maybe Burger King won't be interested.
Maybe his biggest mistake had nothing to do with Community. Who cancelled 30 Rock despite the show accumulating piles of awards? Greenblatt. When Tina Fey had another idea for a comedy show called the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Greenblatt passed. If it was any other network, you could explain bad decisions away, but how can the home of Saturday Night Live butcher so many comedy talent judgements? The network of Cheers. The network of Seinfeld. The network of Family Ties. The network of Parks and Recreation. Even Amy's Poehler's show was mismanaged by Greenblatt at the end. One of the stars from Parks and Recreation was in the #1 Movie in America...THIS WEEK.
The number 1 comedy on NBC today is Will and Grace (ratings-wise), which went on the air 20 years ago. Greenblatt gets credit for resurrecting Will and Grace, not growing and nurturing Will and Grace. The Good Place is awesome, somehow Greenblatt can't bring himself to order more than 13 of those at a time.
Again, the guy in charge somehow keeps his job despite ratings built on the backs of football and karaoke. Neither one of those concepts were re-defining the wheel.
If you're crying as you read this "This is Us" is the greatest show ever made, you're banned from reading my blog.
Seriously.